Archive

December 15th

December 15, 2011

Drivers are experiencing a Catawba County first in Conover â the first roundabout.

The roundabout was built at County Home Road and Northern Drive NW, near the new Newton-Conover Middle School. The N.C. Department of Transportation says roundabouts are safer than traditional intersections with stop signs or traffic signals.

Which intersection design do you believe is safest? Vote now at observernewsonline.com.

December 15, 2011

In Newton, something as simple as a Facebook photo prompted a random act of giving, all in the spirit of holiday cheer.â¨

The story starts at a little house on West âDâ Street.

Each holiday season, Ronnie and Mary Connor transform their home into a Christmas showcase. Filled with inflatable Santas, a candy cane walkway and red, green and white lights, their one-story house sticks out as drivers make their way toward U.S. 321 or N.C. 16.â¨

December 15, 2011

Glenn Pattishall became Newton's first full-time planning director when he joined the city staff in 1983.

"I had tremendous opportunities here," he said. "I got to define the job. I got to establish the department and then try to get it integrated into everything else the city had going on."

Now after more than 28 years of work, the department is an established part of Newton government, and so is Pattishall, the city's planning director and assistant manager. According to Newton Mayor Anne Stedman, he is a "consummate professional."

December 15, 2011

Conover Policeâs Santa Cops program will help provide toys to more than 100 children this Christmas.

The Santa Cops program, initiated by a Conover police officer in 2008, gives toys donated by area residents and companies to children and families in need. Area school systems and Catawba County Social Services identify children and families that need assistance.

âThe need is just so great,â said Conover Police Chief Steve Brewer.

âWith the economic times and the unemployment rate in the county, the need is genuine. This is a way we can give back."

December 15, 2011

A Chihuahua was shot with a BB gun in Claremont, and thieves took a four-wheeler in Conover, among other crimes reported this week by the Catawba County Sheriff's Office.

Dec. 13â¨
Suspects stole an aluminum dock board and fork life squeeze plate from a loading dock at the Carter Factory Closeout Inc. at 2023 Wagon Lane NE in Conover. The items are valued at a combined total of about $1,000.

December 15, 2011

A man robbed a Hickory convenience store Wednesday night on Fairgrove Church Road.

Authorities are still looking for the robber that got away after stealing a handful of money and threatening a store clerk with what appeared to be a gun.

Police say the white man entered the Fast Track Shell on Fairgrove Church Road around 8:45 p.m. Wednesday night and went to the bathroom. As he exited the store, he approached the store clerk, asked for money and raised an object in his coat pocket that appeared to be a gun, according to a police report.

December 15, 2011

Lifelong Conover resident Don Barker spent many years behind a camera as a photographer for The Observer News Enterprise. Photography was also his hobby, along with history â especially area history.

In 2007, Barker wrote âFor the Love of the Game,â which reports the history of the Newton-Conover Twins baseball team.

Barkerâs âBig Time for a Dimeâ delivers a history of movie theaters in the Catawba Valley.

Barkerâs recently released book âConoverâ is the newest addition to Arcadia Publishingâs popular âImages of Americaâ series.

December 15, 2011

Catawba County is getting its first roundabout outside Newton-Conover City Schoolsâ new middle school. Find out why and how to navigate the new traffic circle only in the Thursday edition of The O-N-E.

Closure of Conoverâs USPS mail processing facility has been put on hold - for now. The O-N-E reports this morning that the plant wonât close until May more details in the print editions and online, www.observernewsonline.com.

December 14th

December 14, 2011

A former Maiden athlete was selected Wednesday to be a part of the Davidson College Athletics Hall of Fame.

Ryan Crawford, who played for the Wildcats from 1998-2001, joins a list of five names being inducted into the Wildcatsâ Hall of Fame on Feb. 4.
Crawford, along with swimmer Mary Shell Brosche, tennis coach Jeff Frank, track star Philip Koonce and baseball player Alan Lewis, will make up the 23rd induction class at Davidson.